THEATRE FOR EVERYONE DAVID WILLIAMSON’S 19 JANUARY – 17 MARCH 2018 DIRECTOR’S NOTE BY NADIA TASS ignore these issues like many of our politicians I have always loved David Williamson’s work, might do; he insists these characters act on the issues he concerns himself with, and the their responsibility. It is not until they are careful balance he creates between gravity forced to deal with the dilemmas they face, and humour. that they achieve perspective, growth, and enlightenment. Williamson insists that issues he presents, cannot be shelved or ignored, so he From the very first scene, we know the orchestrates situations that are strange, dominant issue in this play, and then we see uncomfortable and grittingly real. And it is what effect it has on each of Williamson’s within those situations our characters are beautifully drawn characters. It truly is a joy forced to confront the issues, even if they are to work with material that is at the same potentially detrimental to their personal lives. time both funny and poignant. This narrative is full of surprises, filled with similarities Each of the characters in SORTING OUT between what is happening on stage and the RACHEL is facing a mammoth personal Australian society at large. dilemma. And each of these dilemmas mirrors the prevailing social issues in Australian The question remains – how is our world society. One has too little money, another going to deal with these issues? Williamson too much; and the question is – how is that holds a clear mirror to our world, and tells money best used for the greater good of the us to look at who we are, and asks – are we community? going to take responsibility? What attracted me to SORTING OUT These are serious issues, serious questions, RACHEL, was the notion that it examines the but never at the expense of the primary human condition pitted against large and objective – to entertain. The continuing intense national issues. Williamson never debate is, how are we going to deal with compromises the issues, nor the way it affects issues of entitlement, inheritance and our all of the characters. For each of them, the responsibilities to our indigenous community? world appears to be collapsing as they realise Great insight into a world that desperately the truths they are facing. And they can’t just needs sorting out! RUNNING TIME APPROX. 110 MINS INCLUDING INTERVAL DIRECTOR NADIA TASS SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER TOBHIYAH STONE FELLER LIGHTING & AV DESIGNER CHRISTOPHER PAGE SOUND DESIGNER DANIEL NIXON STAGE MANAGER RUTH HORSFALL WARDROBE COORDINATOR ALANA CANCERI CAST CHENOA DEEMAL, GLENN HAZELDINE, JOHN HOWARD JENNA OWEN, NATALIE SALEEBA EnsembleEd Performance of SORTING Thank you for your $2 donation, it helps OUT RACHEL kindly supported by the cover the production of our programs Clitheroe Foundation Rehearsal Photos Heidrun Löhr DAVID WILLIAMSON NADIA TASS DIRECTOR PLAYWRIGHT Nadia Tass made her David Williamson is Ensemble directorial Australia’s best known debut with e-baby in and most widely 2016. That year Tass performed playwright. directed DISGRACED Some of his more than fifty-three produced for Melbourne Theatre Company, plays include THE REMOVALISTS, DON’S EXTINCTION for Red Stitch/GPAC, PARTY, THE CLUB, TRAVELLING NORTH, THE BOOK CLUB for AKA in Melbourne and THE PERFECTIONIST, SONS OF CAIN, London, and UNCLE VANYA for Red Stitch. EMERALD CITY, MONEY AND FRIENDS, 2017 saw her re-stage her acclaimed 2014 BRILLIANT LIES, DEAD WHITE MALES, production of Annie Baker’s THE FLICK for AFTER THE BALL, THE JACK MANNING Queensland Theatre. Amongst other recent TRILOGY, THE GREAT MAN, UP FOR GRABS, work, Tass directed OUT OF THE WATER, SOULMATES, SCARLETT O’HARA AT THE THE ALIENS, and THE GRONHOLM CRIMSON PARROTT, NOTHING PERSONAL, METHOD for Red Stitch, THE OTHER WHEN DAD MARRIED FURY, MANAGING PLACE for MTC, PROMISES, PROMISES for CARMEN, CRUISE CONTROL, RUPERT, The Production Company, and THREE DREAM HOME, JACK OF HEARTS and WOMEN IN AN ICE CREAM CONE in ODD MAN OUT. His plays have been London. Her 2002 production of THE LION, translated into many languages and THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE toured performed internationally, including major Australia and garnered her a Helpmann productions in London, Los Angeles, New Award nomination for Best Director of a York and Washington (THE CLUB in 1979 Musical. Tass is well known for directing and RUPERT in 2014 at the Kennedy films including the Australian Centre as well as a season at the Theatre classics MALCOLM and THE BIG STEAL, Royal, Sydney). UP FOR GRABS went as well as RIKKY AND PETE, MR RELIABLE, on to a West End production starring AMY, MATCHING JACK and FATAL Madonna in the lead role. David’s screen HONEYMOON. Nadia also directs films adaptations of his own plays include THE and high-end television movies in the REMOVALISTS, DON’S PARTY, THE CLUB, US for Universal Studios, Disney, Warner TRAVELLING NORTH, EMERALD CITY, Bros and CBS. Recently she was honoured along with his original screenplays for by the American Cinematheque in Los feature films including LIBIDO, PETERSEN, Angeles with a retrospective of her work. GALLIPOLI, PHAR LAP, THE YEAR OF Retrospectives have also screened in LIVING DANGEROUSLY, and BALIBO (as Moscow, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and co-writer) and for television he adapted ON New Delhi. Tass is a recipient of the Film THE BEACH. Some of David’s many awards Victoria Screen Leader Award for include 12 Australian Writers’ Guild Awards, Outstanding Leadership, Achievement and 5 Australian Film Institutes’ Awards for Best Service to the Screen Industry, and the Screenplay and, in 1996, and the United AFI Byron Kennedy Award for the Pursuit Nations Association of Australia Media of Excellence. Peace Award. David has been named one of Australia’s Living National Treasures. CHENOA DEEMAL TESS Chenoa holds both a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) from Queensland University of Technology and an Advanced Diploma of the Performing Arts from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA). She has been working professionally since 2009. Most recently Chenoa appeared in Queensland Theatre’s AN OCTOROON, and prior to this the critically-acclaimed one woman show THE SEVEN STAGES OF GRIEVING, a co-production between Queensland Theatre and Grin & Tonic Theatre which toured NSW and Victoria as well as visiting London for the 2017 Border Crossings’ Origins Festival. Other theatre credits include: RAINBOW’S END for Riverside Theatres – national tour, MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN, ST MARY’S IN EXILE (QLD Theatre), THE VOICE IN THE WALLS (Imaginary Theatre), MR TAKAHASHI & OTHER FALLING SECRETS (Corrugated Iron/Jute Theatre Co) and A MAN WITH FIVE CHILDREN (Darlinghurst Theatre). On television, Chenoa has appeared in the children’s physical game show, SPLATALOT! Earlier this year Chenoa was the narrator for the Stradbroke Island Chamber Music Festival. GLENN HAZELDINE KIDNEY, TWELFTH NIGHT, IVANOV (Belvoir); CRAIG ALL MY SONS, THE CRUCIBLE, DEAD WHITE MALES, THE LIFE OF GALILEO, MONGRELS, Since graduating from THE RECRUIT (Sydney Theatre Company); NIDA in 1994, Glenn SHRINE, RISING WATER (Black Swan State has worked in over 50 Theatre Company); THE ROVER (State professional productions Theatre Company of South Australia). His film for the STC, Ensemble Theatre, Griffin, credits include MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, LAST Malthouse, MTC, Belvoir, Darlinghurst CAB TO DARWIN, THE MAN WHO SUED Theatre, The Old Fitz, Seymour Centre, Bell GOD, A MAN’S GOTTA DO and JINDABYNE. Shakespeare, Marian St and La Boite. Recent For TV, John has appeared in WARRIORS, appearances at the Ensemble include THE SOUL MATES, JANET KING, SEACHANGE, JACK MANNING TRILOGY, MANAGING ALL SAINTS, ALWAYS GREENER, PACKED CARMEN, RAPTURE BLISTER BURN, TO THE RAFTERS and CHANGI. John’s TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, HAPPINESS and awards include a 2015 Sydney Theatre Award RHINESTONE REX AND MISS MONICA. Other for Best Supporting Actor in a Mainstage credits include for the STC, THE FATHER Production for IVANOV. He won his first Silver (also for MTC), AWAY (also for Malthouse), Logie for Most Outstanding Actor for his role DISGRACED, LOVE AND INFORMATION (also in SEACHANGE in 2001. He will be seen in for Malthouse), AFTER DINNER, PERPLEX and cinemas around the globe as Bill Barlow in TOT MOM; for Griffin, A HOAX, PORN CAKE; THE MERGER in 2018. for Merrigong Theatre Company, LETTERS TO LINDY. Recent Film and Television gigs include JENNA OWEN RACHEL HOUSE OF BOND, THE MOODYS, ANZAC GIRLS, REDFERN NOW 2, THE ELEGANT As Rachel in SORTING GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO KNIFE FIGHTING, OUT RACHEL, Jenna ALL SAINTS, BLACKJACK, LAST TRAIN TO Owen makes her stage FREO and DRIPPING IN CHOCOLATE. Glenn debut. First introduced is a proud member of Actors Equity, where as Naomi in Channel he serves as Vice President of the NSW Ten’s PUBERTY BLUES, Jenna has gone on branch, and is Deputy Chairman of the Actors to write and perform for ABC2’s Aaron Chen Benevolent Fund of NSW. Tonight, Fox8 and Princess Pictures THE SLOT, and ABC’s FRESH BLOOD CLASS OF 2017. JOHN HOWARD BRUCE Jenna will next be seen on screens as Mia in Jungle/ABC’s comedy series SQUINTERS. As a John graduated from founding member of the Sydney-based sketch NIDA in 1978 and his troupe ‘Freudian Nip’, Jenna has performed career has seen him work sell out sketch shows at Sydney Comedy on the stage, in cinema Festival, and Sydney Fringe Festival and has and television as an actor, been a fixture at several comedy rooms director, writer and composer. For Ensemble around Sydney. She is also a performer at Theatre he appeared in Nick Enright’s The Chaser’s Giant Dwarf Theatre, making her MONGRELS, which won him a Sydney Critics’ one of the youngest improvisers to perform Circle Award for Best Stage Actor in 1991.